Microsoft says Windows Phone 7 jailbreak may brick

Microsoft today issued a relatively soft notice on the consequences of using jailbreak or unlock tools similar to ChevronWP7. It said it "anticipated" that people would try hacks and gave the expected warning of the consequences. A bad hack could 'brick' the device or make some features unusable, WinRumors was told in a statement.

"We encourage people to use their Windows Phone as supplied by the manufacturer to ensure the best possible user experience," the statement read. "Attempting to unlock a device could void the warranty, disable phone functionality, interrupt access to Windows Phone 7 services or render the phone permanently unusable."

The company didn't say whether it would actively try to stop any of the hacks, though the language implied that it wouldn't necessarily chase after those who successfully break the locks. Jailbreaks and unlocks often work by compromising the phone's security, however, and may be stopped simply through security updates.

Microsoft's response is one of its first for such issues. WP7 is its first mobile OS to explicitly require signed, approved code for third-party apps. Apple implements a similar approach and has been criticized for using this to potentially shut out competition, although it has also kept malware to a minimum relative to less filtered platforms like Android and Windows Mobile.

By Electronista Staff